1 saf down by the big maple to try ny 
notes. A hairy woodpecker lit above. He hit 
the tree a number of times with his beak and 
it sounded like the cracking of ice when it is 
first tried because ny ear was close up to the 
trunk. 
A single rusty blackbird flew over singing 
^nd calling. Ihe song rippled along smoothly for 
a few notes and then ended in a sudden bubbling 
outburst of music that ended as abruptly as it 
had begun. 
By the coulee I scared up a sparrow which 
fit on a bush just across from me. It had all 
he markings of a tree sparrow but I wanted to 
see the spot on its breast as it might have been 
some other kind. But this the bird positively 
would not allow me to do. It dodged around and 
hid in a tangle of honeysuckle so that 1 Could 
not see it. Then it went in a brushpile where 
ft was joined by another of the same species. 
I tried to work around so as to see them there 
ut they flew into a willow some distance off 
where at last 1 got the view I wished and identi¬ 
fied them as tree sparrows. They called to each 
other all the time and each call was answered. 
By the river I saw a songsparrow in a thick 
tangle of brush. I stood directly above it and 
watched. It seemed to realize my presence as is 
often the case with birds and animals as long as 
'•hey don’t see me move. 
It hopped around feeding and kept no watch 
above it all as it was protected by bushes. It 
Was very restless and kept hopping around in a 
restricted area. A mink came swimming along as it 
®ut on a willow twig two or three inches above the 
water. The sparrow paid no attention to it until 
a foot ^ t eT “ when “ t00k a Perch about 
hut hi/ f* 1116 mink looked up with longing eve' 
Slifious y *° C ° PtUre 11 • Both ®tSrly 
• Uvi °us of ny presence. ^ 
